Racks for holding wine glasses and like articles



March 2, 1965 A. R. UNSWORTH 3,171,544

RACKS FOR HOLDING WINE GLASSES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l ALAN RENE #NSWORTH M WM HTTOR/VEYS INVENTR:

March 2, 1965 A. R. UNSWORTH 3,171,544

RACKS FOR HOLDING WINE GLASSES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 21, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

ALAN RENE UNS WORTH March 2, 1965 A R. UNSWORTH RACKS FOR HOLDING WINE GLASSES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Nov. 21, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ALAN RENE W3??? -rnRNEYS United States Patent 3,171,544 RACKS FOR HOLDING WINE GLASSES AND LIKE ARTICLES Alan Ren Unsworth, 51 Merton Road, Bootle, Liverpool, England Filed Nov. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 153,894 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov. 22, 1960, 40,031/ 60 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-71) This invention relates to racks for holding wine glasses and like stemmed vessels and articles (all hereinafter for convenience of reference included in the terms wine glass or glass) and has for its object to provide an improved device or appliance adapted to hold a plurality of glasses for storage purposes and which is particularly useful on board ships, boats, aircraft, caravans, or other vehicles, or in other situations where likelihood of violent motion necessitates a positive location of fragile articles.

A further object is to provide a device or appliance which is of a portable nature, or may be rendered portable in a simple manner, and be carried on one arm whereby it can be employed to facilitate the serving and dispensing of drinks, or/and the collection of glasses leaving one hand free for any other necessary purpose.

Broadly, according to the invention, a device or appliance for holding wine glasses and the like comprises a plate member, or members, having at least one slot or passage formed therein, or therebetween, wherein the stems of glasses may be engaged, and means for hearing resiliently against the bases of the glasses for locating same firmly against accidental displacement from said slot. Usually the device will comprise more than one slot or passage for the reception of glasses and is or may be adapted for connection with a wall or the underside of a shelf or other supporting surface whereby it may be employed as a drying or storage rack, or, when detached from the support, as a portable serving tray and collecting rack.

The invention is further described with the aid of the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, one mode of embodiment.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glass-holding device adapted to be secured to a wall or like support but which may be detached and used for serving purposes.

FIG. 2 is an end view in part section of the device, and

FIG. 3 an underneath plan view.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of one of two brackets employed for attaching the glass-holding device to a support.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspective views showing two positions in the engaging of the device with the support brackets, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view showing a catch means whereby the glass holding device is engaged with the support brackets.

Referring now to said drawings, 10 denotes a backplate of generally rectangular configuration from the upper edge whereof extends a forwardly projecting horizontal plate member 11. From the lower edge of backplate 10 there extends a forwardly and upwardly curved member 12 which is connected to the component 11 at its front edge or is an extension thereof. Slots 13 defining finger portions 14 are formed as shown in members 11 and 12, said slots 13 being of a width such that the stems of glasses may be passed therethrough but not their bases. Fitted within the hollow structure formed by back-plate 10 and members 11 and 12, is a member 15 which functions to hold against said members 11, 12, a

layer or interlining 16 of resiliently compressible substance such, for example, as foamed plastic or sponge rubber. Preferably'the outer surface of said resilient interlining 16 is formed or provided with a smooth skin or film 17 which bears against the underside of member 11 and the inner surface of member 12.

Said back-plate 10 is adapted for detachable connection with a supporting surface x, as, e.g., a wall, by means of a pair of brackets 18, 18 which can be screwed or otherwise attached to said surface, and have opposed undercut port-ions 13a (FIG. 4) with which the divergent sides 10a of the back-plate can slidably engage. Said backplate is also formed with laterally extending lugs 1011 which, when the back-plate is fully engaged with the brackets, are located behind the upper ends 18b of said brackets and rest upon the shoulders formed by said under-cuts 18a.

In order that the glass-holder may be positively located against accidental displacement, pivotal catch members 20 are provided at each side thereof and are biased towards positions in which they engage below lugs 18d of brackets 18. Said catch members 20 are formed or provided on catch plates 21 mounted one at each end of a rod 22 (FIG. 5 and FIG. 7) which extends between member 11 and the inner member 15 at the rear of the resilient interlining 16 which is arranged to bear against said rod. Said layer 16 is thus conveniently employed as the means whereby said catch members 20 are biased resiliently towards operative positions.

Said catch members 20 have inclined rear faces 20a (see more particularly FIG. 2) whereby, in the engaging of the sides 16a of the glass-holder with the brackets 18, said catches will over-ride the upper edges of said brackets (FIG. 5) and automatically engage below the lugs 18d (FIG. 6). Other means of biasing said catches towards operative positions may of course be employed. The catch plates 21 are formed with finger grip portions 21a which enable ready disengagement of the catches 20 from the lugs 18d of brackets 18.

Thus constructed, the slots or passages 13 of the curved member 12 are adapted to receive (as at y, FIGS. 1 and 2) a plurality of glasses and hold same in a pendant or semi-pendant position with the stems entered in said slots 13 and their bases firmly engaged between the resilient interlining 16 and the fingers 14. Said slots 13 are of such length that a number of glasses can be held between adjacent fingers 14 with their bases in overlapping engagement, and thus a glass-holding device of only moderate dimensions will have a substantial capacity for holding glasses. Similarly, the stems of glasses may be entered within the slots 13 of the horizontal component 11 to firmly locate glasses in an upright position (as at 2, FIG. 1) by reason of the resilient interlining 16 which presses against their bases. Thus, glasses may be spacedly held ready for the serving of drinks. When the rack is detached from its support it may be safely carried, e.g., by passing a forearm down its hollow center, leaving the other hand free for use. Alternatively it may be supported between the bend of the elbow and the fingers, the forearm being disposed along the rear of the backplate.

A glass-holding device according to my invention may be composed wholly or partially from one or more of the so called plastics, and members 11 and 12 may together be manufactured by blanking out and forming a single sheet of material. Member 15 may similarly be formed from a single sheet of material.

In the embodiment illustrated, the lower ends of members 12 and 15 are associated with the backplate 10 by means of flanges or beads 12a, 15a thereof which are engaged with under-cut channels 24, 25 formed or provided adjacent to the lower edge of said back-plate. Similar channels (not shown) are provided adjacent to the upper edge of the back-plate and are adapted to receive flanges (similar to the flanges 12a, 15a) formed frees said flange 12a and permits of the device being separated readily into its component parts.

For lightness and economy in material, the back-plate 10 and the inner member 15 may be of skeleton form.

-Glass-holding devices according to my invention may be of simple planar construction if so desired and be fitted or/ and used in any position or situation as the glassesheld thereby are firmly and resiliently located against displacement relative to the device. It will therefore be clear that a device according to my invention is eminently suited for use in situations'liable to movements of an unpredictable or more or less violent nature.

If desired, the interior of said inner member 15 may be adapted to house small bottles and the like (containing, for example, flavouring, essences, et cetera) and other drink accessories.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device for holding wine glasses and like stemmed vessels comprising a first plate-like member, a second member spaced from said first member, a plurality of elongated slots formed in said first member to define a series of finger-like components, a layer of resiliently compressible substance disposed and confined between said two members and adapted to engage and press against the bases of glasses between said first member and said compressible substance when the stems thereof are located between the finger-like components of said first member, brackets capable of being attached to a supporting surface, lugs being provided on said brackets, catch members, a rod disposed between said first member and said second member at the rear of said resiliently compressible substance confined therebetween and having said catch members attached to each-end thereof, and said resiliently compressible substance functioning to bias said rod and said catch members carried thereby towards a position for engaging said lugs for connecting said members to said bracket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

